


what's right is wrong

by taizi



Category: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (TV 2012)
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-02-25
Updated: 2015-02-25
Packaged: 2018-03-15 06:25:49
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 700
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3436877
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/taizi/pseuds/taizi
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>In which there's a cave-in, Raph can't save them both, and Mikey tries to do the Right Thing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	what's right is wrong

_"Raph, it's okay."_ His family can barely hear him through the wall of rock, but it sounds like he's smiling.  _"Grab her and go."_

_"You must be outta your mind if you think I'm leaving you here."_

_"The way out is too narrow, you can't carry both of us through there. You go first, I'll follow you."_

_"As if, you can't stand!"_

_"She's out cold, Raph. Between the two of us, I have a better chance alone than she does right now, and you know it!"_

Leo's hands tremble where they're pressed uselessly against the debris, and Donnie, never one to play the little brother card, leans against his arm from one side, brown eyes blown wide in the gloom.

 _"Mikey... stop, alright? This ain't like you- you_ know  _I can't- "_

 _"Save Karai, dude."_ Mikey coughs, and follows it with a groan that turns into a short laugh halfway _. "Sensei- he can't lose her again, y'know? I think it'd really break his heart."_

 _"And this_ won't?"

There's a crunching sound as more rocks fall, and Mikey's voice climbs into a shout. " _Raph, come on! She's his daughter, his actual daughter. He'd want her more than me!"_

Donnie chokes, and Leo starts pounding on the damnable wall that seperated them from their brothers, silent for all the fear and fury in his eyes. April is all but forgotten behind them- and she's  _glad_ for it, because she has no idea what to do.

"Raph, don't you leave him!" Donnie yells, jamming one end of his  _bo_ between two rocks in some desperate hope of wedging one free. "Don't let him do this!"

_"This is the right thing, Raphie. I know it is."_

There's a long moment before Raph replies, so softly it's hard to make out:

_"I don't care. You're my brother."_

"Leo!" Donnie cries hoarsely, as the rocks start to give under his staff. "Leo, we can dig through here!"

Leonardo dumps his gear to one side and starts digging with his fingers, nicking them on sharp edges unflinchingly, while Donatello gets to work right beside him, calling out, "Raphael! Follow my voice, we're digging through!"

 _"About time!"_ Their volatile brother's voice breaks, but they'll never mention it.  _"I think I can see where you're coming from, I'll shift rocks from my side."_

The ground starts to shake again, and Mikey says,  _"Raph, there's no time- "_

 _"We're making time, Mikey,"_ he snaps back, voice much closer now- and that's such a relief it  _hurts._

Rocks begin to tumble once they've made a hole, and Leo wrenches a flat piece of metal that might once have been a sign free from the ground and jams it into place above the escape route they've tunneled. It holds the falling debris in place, tentatively, but a few minutes is all they need.

"Come on!" Leo shouts, and Donnie leans his whole body through with open arms as Raphael pushes Karai through first. Between him and Leonardo they lift her out, and pass her carefully down to April. They're so tense each move they make is brittle and stilted, like they might really  _break_ from worry or fear. April holds Karai against her chest, and prays as loud as she can.

Finally Mikey's hands come through the hole, seeking purchase gingerly, and Leonardo and Donatello seize him. He's bleeding and bruised and wrapped up in Donnie's arms the moment he clears the debris, and then Leonardo is bracing Raph on his way out, too.

When the four of them are together again a sort of gravity goes to work, pulling them close into a quiet huddle. It's behavior April's never quite seen in them before, much more used to their noise and laughter and adolescent fits, and even when the ground rumbles again she keeps her silence.

"Sorry," Mikey says suddenly, looking up at Leo. His hand drifts up to touch Leo's cheek- slowly, like he isn't sure it's welcome- and Leo's hand covers it instantly, keeping it there. "I'm sorry. I just tried to do what  _you_ would do."

"Don't," Leo says, eyes burning. "Don't you  _ever_."

It's anguish and confession all at once, and it's what finally brings tears to April's eyes.


End file.
